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2014 (Page 114)

“Same sh*t different day” – Nice Japanese people swearing in English 【Video】

Philip Kendall
Jun 26, 2014
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Hearing native Japanese people casually using English slang is a special kind of awesome. All too often, Japanese are taught straight-laced, borderline archaic phrases that, while grammatically sound, remove all trace of the speaker’s personality to the point that they end up sounding like stuffy university professors rather than they people they actually are. So when we spotted this video, which shows one English teacher’s students working their way through the recently released book F*ck no Tadashii Tsukaikata, or “How to Use ‘F**k’“, it brought huge smiles to our faces.

So, if you’d like to hear perfectly nice and respectable Japanese people saying things like “I’m trusting you with the drugs; don’t f**k me over” and “He’s going to sh*t a brick”, make sure there are no impressionable youngsters in the room and join us after the jump.

Post World Cup cheer up: Shinji Kagawa and Hiroshi Kiyotake take on 55 kids at once

Krista Rogers
Jun 26, 2014

For anyone who’s still struggling to accept Japan’s elimination from the World Cup at the group stage, we’ve got a little video clip here to brighten your mood. While it was originally broadcast on New Year’s Eve half a year ago, it features two of Japan’s top football athletes finding themselves in an amusing situation with none of the stress from the World Cup.

How would you like to see international stars Shinji Kagawa and Hiroshi Kiyotake taking on 55 elementary school kids at once?

NASA’s new leek-like supersonic jet design would be perfect for Hatsune Miku’s personal plane

Casey Baseel
Jun 26, 2014

I always feel a little sad whenever I stop and think that NASA’s Space Shuttles are no longer in service. For decades, they served as symbols not only for the pioneering spirit of their mission crews, but for NASA itself, an organization that serves as a gathering point for some of the brightest and boldest scientific minds on the planet.

NASA hasn’t completely gotten out of the high-tech transportation field, though, as it’s moving ahead with a project to develop a supersonic passenger jet. As impressive as its specs are, though, it looks like something quite a bit more down to earth: a root vegetable.

Ivory Coast’s grass-eating goalie amuses Japanese fans after elimination

Cara Clegg
Jun 26, 2014

After Japan’s hopes of advancing in the World Cup were dashed by a 1-4 defeat to Colombia, Japanese football fans have been looking for something to get them smiling again. And Ivory Coast’s goalie provided just the opportunity.

Beautiful hydrangea pattern adds a touch of elegance to traditional Japanese fish cake

Casey Baseel
Jun 26, 2014

Certain types of Japanese food, like tempura or grilled yakitori chicken skewers, are pretty agreeable to Western palates. In recent years, sushi has made inroads into the international dining scene, too.

Many non-Japanese diners, though, still feel a little hesitant about kamaboko, or fish cake. Despite its mild flavor, there’s just something incongruous about it in many people’s minds. It’s actually pretty tasty stuff, though, and if you’re on the fence about trying it, we should point out that it has a surprisingly mild flavor.

Or, perhaps we could entice you with this special variety of kamaboko that, when cut, reveals an elegant hydrangea pattern.

Who shall I be today? The amazing makeup skills of Zawachin

Tokyo Girls' Update
Jun 26, 2014

“Through makeup I want to become unbelievably cute!” Hasn’t every girl had this thought at some point? In Japan there are words like “seikeikyuu meiku (cosmetic surgery-level makeup)” and countless features on makeup techniques designed to conceal problem areas. But now, the queen of makeup techniques, “Zawachin” has hit the big time.

Almost overnight, Zawachin was showered with attention for her monomane meiku (imitation makeup) which made her look exactly like popular former AKB48 member Tomomi Itano. Currently, there isn’t a day when one cannot see her on television or in magazines. Zawachin’s makeup techniques not only easily cross over the borders of “cute transformation”, but also those of ethnicity and gender, allowing her to become completely different people.

How not to choose a kanji tattoo: A guide for World Cup footballers

Fran W
Jun 26, 2014

Are you a professional footballer? Are you thinking about getting an exotic-looking tattoo in Japanese or Chinese script? With this year’s World Cup players the most inked in history, it’s no wonder the players keep taking their shirts off to show off their skin. Today, we bring you a guide to getting inked as a World Cup footballer – or to be more accurate, a guide to what not to do.

Greek footballer Theofanis “Fanis” Gekas, who has been attracting online attention in Japan recently for his unusual Chinese(ish) tattoo, isn’t the only World Cup player with some not-entirely-accurate ink on his arms. Join us after the jump for photographic evidence of what your mother (should’ve) told you: “If you can’t read it, don’t get it permanently etched onto your skin.”

Freak hailstorms hit Tokyo in June as winter rises from its icy grave

Casey Baseel
Jun 25, 2014

The weather in Tokyo can be a little unpredictable in June. Spring still wasn’t that long ago, and sometimes we’ll get a day with a cool breeze or nighttime temperatures low enough that you’ll want a windbreaker, or at least a long-sleeved shirt.

On the other hand, midsummer is just around the corner, and steamy, sweltering days with high humidity and temperatures aren’t at all unusual. On just about any day the cloud layer has the potential to turn into a squall, too.

One thing Tokyo usually doesn’t see at this time of the year, though, is hailstorms.

Frozen’s songs in regional Japanese dialects somehow work amazingly well【Videos】

Cara Clegg
Jun 25, 2014

It all started with the Japanese version of “Let it Go”, the hit song from Disney’s latest animated movie Frozen. But that wasn’t the only song to be localized, and now amateur singers are getting even more local with creative versions of Frozen’s songs in their own regional dialects. Join us after the jump for two of the best.

Faithful pooch in Akita saves 5-year-old owner from attacking bear

Casey Baseel
Jun 25, 2014

We recently had a good chuckle at the dog that got itself comically trapped in its backyard in urban Japan. As silly as that Shiba inu may have looked though, the breed isn’t all poorly-thought-out curiosity and exploration-related hijinks. Recently, a Shiba in Akita Prefecture earned some positive publicity for its kin by saving its young owner from a bear.

Amazon Japan adds regulations for deliveries to prisons, the internet wonders why

Michelle Lynn Dinh
Jun 25, 2014

You no longer have to bake a file in a cake to get something to your buddy in prison; it seems Amazon Japan will do the delivering for you. Sharp-eyed netizens noticed a peculiar addition to the Help Page on the popular home shopping site titled “About shipping to prisons” and it has us all wondering what events transpired to warrant the new information.

We went to the Ozashiki Cafe to see professional geisha perform — and we had an amazing time!

Kay
Jun 25, 2014

Last month, we ran a story about the Ozashiki Cafe, a one day event that would offer a unique opportunity for the Japanese public to take a look into the usually exclusive world of geisha and the traditional Japanese restaurants known as ryotei, where they perform. Much to our delight, we received comments from readers encouraging us to sign up and attend the event, so that’s exactly what we decided to do! And we were quite excited to do so too, since the average person in Japan usually doesn’t have the chance to interact with professional geisha. So, here’s our report on what we experienced at the Ozashiki Cafe, which took place at the ryotei Miyakodori in the Asakusa district of Tokyo — and we have to say, it was quite a treat to be entertained by professional geisha, even it was for just one fleeting hour!

Colombia beats Japan, still picks up a few Japanese supporters for its inspiring sportsmanship

Casey Baseel
Jun 25, 2014

The international nature of professional soccer makes for some uniquely compelling individual matchups at the World Cup. Since the event is only held once every four years, during the time between tournaments the members of each country’s national teams go back to playing for their respective, privately owned clubs.

It’s easy to imagine how this could make things awkward for a player who has a club teammate who’s on the roster of a different national team. One day you’re doing everything you can to beat him at the World Cup, but a few weeks later, you’re going to have to go back to working together, no matter how bitterly contested your match in Brazil was.

Sometimes, though, the opposite happens, and these personal connections bring a little extra sportsmanship to the World Cup, like what happened between Japanese defender Yuto Nagatomo and Colombian midfielder Fredy Guarin.

Guess what’s back, back again. Isopod case is back, tell your friends! Comes in gold…!

KK Miller
Jun 25, 2014

What’s popular in Japan? You probably wouldn’t be able to guess. Take Nameko for example. They are mushroom characters that are actually quite cute, but you end up not being able to look at real mushrooms the same again. There are also Mameshiba which are a series of bean characters meant to look like dogs. One of the biggest crazes sweeping the nation right now is Funassyi: a mascot character based on a pear that jumps, wiggles and screams. The Japanese love it!

So it’s really no surprise that a giant isopod cell phone case was made, completely sold out, gained a cult following and people demanded more of them. The prayers of those die-hard fans have been answered and the giant isopod iPhone case has returned and better yet, it now comes in a stunning gold color!

A Dragon Quest slime glass draws near! What will you drink?

Casey Baseel
Jun 25, 2014

Even though Dragon Quest has been one of Japan’s most popular video game franchises since its start in 1986, it doesn’t really have an iconic hero. Like many long-running role-playing game series, each installment brings in a fresh cast of characters, and despite the name, Dragon Quest doesn’t have an instantly recognizable recurring dragon, either.

Instead, the face of the franchise is the lowly slime, ordinarily the very first enemy the player encounters. The monster shows up in each and every Dragon Quest game, and now, it’s ready to show up in your kitchen, too, with this wobbling slime drinking glass.

Retired soldier and his wife finally get their wedding photos taken after 68 years!

Joan Coello
Jun 25, 2014

These days, many engaged couples usually choose their gowns and suits, and take a beautiful set of pre-wedding photos before solemnizing their marriage during their wedding ceremonies. In the past, however, not many couples had the privilege of having lavish weddings.

An elderly couple in Hunan Province, China, have been married since 1946, but it is only now, 68 years later, that they put on their wedding dress and tuxedo for the first time!

16 photos that show why Singapore has the world’s best airline

BUSINESS INSIDER
Jun 25, 2014

Singapore Airlines took the top spot on our list of the Best Airlines In The World.

The list ranked the best major international airlines for flying economy class, based on two categories: the quality of the in-flight experience and the on-time delays.

Last year, I flew economy class from New York City to Singapore (with a stop in Frankfurt) on Singapore Airlines, and saw for myself why the airline gets rave reviews.

Life-size Thomas the Tank Engine begins running on Japanese railroad

Casey Baseel
Jun 25, 2014

Japan is a country that loves its trains. For many rail enthusiasts, there’s nothing better than a getaway to one of the rural parts of the country to ride on and snap pictures of unique trains running through beautiful countryside scenery.

Some localities even drum up tourism by keeping old-fashioned steam locomotives in service, which are always a big draw. This summer, though, Shizuoka Prefecture’s Oigawa Line is going a step further by dressing up one of its trains as Thomas the Tank Engine.

We test our iPhone’s new protective sheet against the legendary sword Excalibur

Casey Baseel
Jun 25, 2014

The touchscreen is both the greatest and most annoying part of a smartphone. On the plus side, you’ve got clear images, vibrant colors, and the simplicity that comes from bypassing a bunch of buttons and menus. At the same time, though, you’ve also got to deal with unsightly scratches and cracks.

We recently heard about a new protective sheet that’s supposed to be able to withstand almost any kid of abuse, so we put it to the test against a variety of damaging instruments including what one shopkeeper told us was the legendary sword Excalibur.

Japanese girls are not just skinny any more!? Chubby girls are in!

Tokyo Girls' Update
Jun 25, 2014

Naomi Watanabe, a famous female comedian, has started a fashion brand for plus-sized girls named “PUNYUS”. PUNYUS has been in the spotlight since the brand launched this spring, because it is part of a new trend to focus on chubby girls, and also it is remarkable for a comedian to produce a fashion brand compared to the many slender fashion models that have their own brands.